Jason Calacanis, Weblogs Inc. warlord, is poised to take over Netscape.com (it still exists! crazy, I know) at AOL, according to a reliable source. It's crazy enough to be true — we'll see tomorrow morning.

Today's Lloyd Braun announcement was just too sweet and candy-like in its optimistic spin to appreciate with one post — here are more highlights you might have missed. First, a mixed metaphor from the soon-to-leave Yahoo Media Group head:

In three hours, Apple will announce its secret new product. As always, the company's stayed coyly silent, and the Apple rumor kiddies have shouted every possible prediction, and have long since moved to the impossible ones.

Two blogging pundits set up challenges, one for himself and the other for "two kids in high-school and a couple of cases of Red Bull." Which is more likely to fail?

Weblogs, Inc. mogul Jason Calacanis caught up with gossip blogger Perez Hilton at a Sundance party. In a fit of inexplicable pleasure at Perez's humor, the self-proclaimed future CEO of AOL did the professional thing — he blogged it.

We're really proud of Weblogs Inc. co-founder Jason Calacanis. He stopped videocasting from his flights just long enough to sit down and sell his company (a blog network of 80 sites with advertising) to AOL for a reported $25 million. Not too shabby! And God bless him for it — after he held on to his Silicon Alley Reporter publishing venture a bit too long and consequently got bit in the ass when the 90's bubble burst, we'd genuinely shed tears if Calacanis made the same mistake again. But our faith in the dorkier side of mankind is thus restored as, for now, no one is that stupid (knock on wood). Lesson learned; sell yourself while you can!

A coda and perhaps a warning for Rising Tide Studios/Venture Reporter founder Jason Calacanis, whose company was recently purchased by Wicks Business Information: a venture capitalist writes in, "we looked at a buyout of Wicks...last year. The deal fell apart because of misleading and inconsistent internal financials."

Rising Tide Studios, parent company of Venture Reporter, Digital Coast Reporter and the now-defunct Silicon Alley Reporter has been bought by Wicks Business Information. Rafat Ali writes that Rising Tide Studios head Jason Calacanis "plans to keep the Silicon Alley story alive, with a book: 'I'll be contacting all of you for your recollections when I write the The SAR Story in another four years (the book is planned for 2006... ten years after Silicon Alley Reporter was launched),' wrote Calacanis, in his e-mail. Yawn."
Enhanced silicon: Venture Reporter bought out [PaidContent.org]

Crain's NY reports that Jason Calacanis is putting Rising Tide Studios (the parent company of Venture Reporter) up for sale and considering filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Crain's also notes that Calacanis is working with the Recognition Group, presumably to develop a turnaround plan. If you lived or worked in Silicon Alley between 1995 and 1999, you're probably already smirking, but for those of you that don't recognize the Recognition Group, it's the turnaround firm headed by ex-govWorks CEO, Kaleil Isaza Tuzmanhe of Startup.com fame. (He also of "I spent $60 million of Henry Kravis's/Mayfield's money on my company, couldn't turn it around, and ultimately sold the assets for $2.5 million" fame.)
Tech media firm for sale [Crain's]

Silicon Alley casualties may like to work out some of their frustration by taking this martial arts class. Jason Calacanis was editor of the Silicon Alley Reporter, the defunct journal of the defunct New York internet scene. Aside from a bit part in Wayne Wang's last movie and a fondness for Bikram Yoga, Calacanis also teaches Tae Kwon Do on Mondays at 19.30. Email him if, after the internet bust, you want another beating.
Calacanis.com